Affirmative
Debate Speech
nd
Kala Pratik 2 speaker (3A)
Good afternoon Adjudicators, members of the audience and esteemed
opponents.
(My opponents believe that capital punishment is a good way to teach a
lesson to criminals and should not be abolished; however, I shall prove
this view unjustified.)
According to the “American Civil Liberty Union National Office” and the
“Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, every person has an equal
right to live, to have liberty and to pursue happiness.
Capital Punishment is therefore, unconstitutional. It is a barbaric remnant
of an uncivilized society, in that it does not allow a person to have any of
the rights as stated above.
According to Oxford University, studies show that capital punishment in
the States is unfair because it involves biased judgment based on racial
prejudice, social and economic differences and the location of crime. The
reality of capital punishment in the States contradicts what is considered
constitutional.
This bias can be seen in the following example. According to an article in
India Times, in 1997, 5 black people in the United States were sentence
to death for killing a white. In contrast, when 5 white people killed a
black, the court simply ordered a 3 year prison sentence.
The same occurs in Indian Courts. According to statistics, Muslims have
a much higher chance of being executed than Hindus.
So, what is capital punishment then? Unfair biased punishment that
allows the authorities to rid society of unwanted individuals, some
legitimate criminals, some not. Please note that each year Capital
Punishment in China escalates around Chinese New Year (SCMP
February 2000) this is because the society wants to purge itself in
readiness for the New year.
Professor Stewart of the University of Western Sydney says that, ‘Many
criminals do not fear death and will commit crimes regardless of the
death penalty’. Therefore, capital punishment doesn’t deter offenders.
In conclusion, capital punishment is immoral, ineffective and
unconstitutional. It is ultimately a cruel, inhuman, and degrading
punishment which is biased against human race, language difference and
social status.
When judges and juries try to correct crime by putting a prisoner to death,
the only lesson they are teaching citizens is hypocrisy.
Therefore, the motions stands.
Capital Punishment should be abolished
Thank You
Kala Pratik (3A)
La Salle College